Hunter and Troy had an amazing night together. It wasn't just the hours of love-making either, but overall winning the competition in first place, then going to dinner to talk and end up back together. It was great and they were both happy to be in a relationship again, and it was better than before because Troy learned Hunter had been willing to get back together without him ever coming out, and it was good for Hunter to know that in a moment of fear, Troy came out to his friends during the lockdown. So really, it all worked out. After both males fell fast asleep, cuddling stark nude in that sleep around 3 am; Hunter and Troy woke up on Saturday morning at 10:30 am. The two enjoyed a bath together since Troy was a bit sore from their activities last night, and beyond that around 11:30 am; they did a brunch meal in the dining room. After eating their breakfast and lunch combination, the lovers retired to Hunter's room to relax until it was time for the event at 5:30 pm, but Hunter would have to be there earlier with his family and Troy would be with him. They had already discussed going together, and separated from the rest of the Haddock's. By this, it meant, Hunter was driving Troy to his house around 3:00 pm so that Troy and Hunter could get ready there and then they would head to the city at 4:00 pm and arrive for 4:45 pm. Everyone else would be coming at 5:30 pm and Hunter already had a spot set for him and his friends since his father said they could sit together as long as Hunter behaved the way he should as a child to a mayor. Hunter promised he would, so right now, Hunter and Troy were relaxing in Hunter's room on the couch and watching TV to kill time. It was only 12:30 pm, after all.
"So we all get to sit together at the event?" Troy inquired.
"Well, after the main meal and dessert, yes." Hunter replied. "Everyone has a set place for the meal, but after that others will be up and around to dance or chat. That's when we can all get together to hang out at one table." He explained. "So for dinner and dessert, I'll be with my family and you'd be with yours and probably some of the others. But after all that, we're free to sit together with our friends at their tables. Make sense?"
"Yeah," Troy nodded. "I wonder if they'll bring up my confession from lockdown."
"I wouldn't assume they'd bring that up at an event like this, at least, not to the point of arguing or anything. But they may want to ask questions, and that's okay as long as it stays appropriate." Hunter informed. "You should talk to them, love. Get it all out in the open. But by the looks of things, it seems like they've accepted it or your phone would be blowing up with messages of them asking what the hell or why'd you lie to them, and hide it? Or they'd just be saying they couldn't be your friends anymore." He stated. "So I'm sure that they've accepted things and can respect your choices, but simply want to understand how it all came to be."
"I hope they don't bring it up tonight. Any other time, sure, but tonight's event isn't the place to have that conversation." Troy admitted. "But if they do, it'll be out of the way."
"And I'll be right there with you." Hunter reassured, holding Troy's hand and placing a kiss on the back of it.
"How'd I get so lucky to have you in my life?" Troy smiled.
"You decided to stop being an asshole to me and no longer fight who you really are." Hunter answered honestly.
"Is that what we're going with?" Troy blinked.
"It's not wrong," Hunter chuckled. "When we met, our first interaction was in class with you coming at me about the gays. Then you proceeded to bully me until the day I cornered you in the bathroom to confront you about why you bullied me the way you did. But after the kiss to shut me up, you ended up liking it and trying to kiss me again. When I stepped back, you got mad and left. Then when Jay and I approached you days later; you still refused to accept thing cause you were in your own internal battle. That's when it changed and you started to accept the possibility of being bisexual." Hunter explained. "Then we talked more and you started to ask questions about accepting it, coming out and whatnot." He added. "You didn't start to feel something for me until Jay was gone, with obvious reason as to why. Jay and I were engaged, set to be married; you figured you didn't have a chance. That's when we started getting closer, I offered to help you and you came clean about how you felt. It was the same for me and now here we are."
"Okay, when you put it like that…" Troy laughed a little.
"That's how it was!" Hunter stated happily, little bit of laughter. "Come on, you can't deny it. I told you not to deny things that actually happen,"
"Okay, okay…You're right." Troy agreed. "To be truthful…I think I started feeling something for you when we met. How open you were about being gay and proud of it…I was attracted to it. I think I said right away that day you were interesting…" He admitted.
"Yeah?" Hunter looked at his boyfriend.
"Maybe that's when the struggle started, and I only beat you up because I hated how easy it was for you to prance around being a proud gay." Troy shrugged.
"Well, I wasn't always that proud and open about it. I had help from Jay, Troy. And that's help that I gave to you when I saw you going through what I had. Granted, I always knew something was different about me, seeing boys and being attracted to them. Everyone telling me that I needed to feel that way for girls…But obviously as I got older, it never faded and I learned the terms for sexuality and what they all were considered. Greg is the one who told me I was probably gay, being only into boys and not girls. So that's what I chose to be and just didn't come out until I was older and reached a point where I knew people couldn't tell me I was too young to understand what being gay meant." Hunter told Troy. "Jay gave me my confidence, but Greg is who helped me discover what I am, who I am…" He smiled.
"I know how close you are to Greg. We've all heard the conversations at lunch," Troy smiled. "I've really only got Blake as an older brother figure. I'm the oldest of my siblings and no aunts, uncles, or cousins." Troy shrugged.
"Really? Blake is your older brother figure?" Hunter asked, surprised.
"Blake's real family abandoned him years ago, and he stayed with us as foster family until he was about fifteen, then got adopted by a family looking for an older brother to their younger kids. So Blake and I were basically brothers from ages eight to fifteen. And he is a year older than me; he stayed back the year his parents abandoned him. Emotional state wasn't good at the time." Troy informed. "We're pretty close," He smiled.
"Why did his family abandon him?" Hunter inquired softly.
"We don't know. No one does, except maybe Blake, but he won't talk about it. We just know that one time Blake was over my house and we were hanging out, when my mom went to bring him home; the house was boarded up and empty. His family was gone, left without a trace so we think they left the Archipelago and went somewhere else in the world. Then changed their names and everything." Troy replied.
"Wow…That sucks." Hunter frowned. "How unfair to Blake."
"Yeah, only a few people know that story…So you heard nothing." Troy mentioned.
"Lips are sealed." Hunter promised. "Makes sense why he urged you to tell the others when he learned of our relationship. He was trying to have your back…"
"I know. He's also the one who told me to come right to your house when we broke up. And just before lockdown, he told me he'd even tell the others he was bi, so I didn't have to do it alone." Troy said gently.
"Has he told the others he's bi?" Hunter wondered.
"I don't know." Troy shrugged. "Maybe since I came out, but not sure." He replied.
"I'm sure he will if he was willing to out himself for your sake." Hunter informed.
"You're right." Troy agreed.
"Now, let's relax the next few hours before we go to your house." Hunter pulled Troy over to get his arm around Troy's shoulders and they snuggled up to watch TV until it was time to leave.
. . .
The time was 4:50 pm when Hunter and Troy arrived to the event site, City Hall, and due to the lovely weather changing last minute; everything had been moved inside to avoid rain damage. Hunter and Troy were both wearing black suits, and Troy went with a bowtie while Hunter had a tie. The two made their way inside as Hunter instantly located his father, who was standing with the other mayors.
"Hunter, thank Odin you're here," Salvatore expressed joyfully, and with relief. "Come, son. Quickly," He urged.
"Wait here," Hunter kissed Troy's cheek and let go of his hand to walk over towards his father.
"Troy, darling. So good to see you again," Valerie greeted with a smile. "Did Hunter come with you?"
"Yes ma'am. He drove actually, and his father summoned him just now when we arrived." Troy informed lightly.
"Oh, good." Valerie smiled as she walked off to see to some other things.
Troy looked over when he saw Zayden walk up. "Happy things are back to the way they were before?" Zayden asked. The man was wearing a black jacket and pants, but dark green shirt with black tie.
"Yeah," Troy replied. "We're both happy and in agreement to see how things go for us."
"Good. I'm glad. So there shouldn't be any hard feelings between us if I tell you here and now that if you hurt my little brother again; you deal with me." Zayden stated. "Don't get the wrong idea, I don't hate you for what happened. You make my brother happy, and that makes me happy. But if you hurt him again; we'll have a problem. I won't hound you or watch every move…But I do protect my family. You feel me?" He asked.
"No hard feelings at all. In your position as the oldest sibling in the family; I'd do the same you are with my brothers or sister. I get it and I understand. I won't hurt him again. I never meant to in the first place, I was just stupid and afraid of something I shouldn't have been." Troy replied calmly. "That lockdown showed me there were more important things than being scared of who walked out of my life over my choices."
"I'm happy to hear that. You understanding why I'd give you're the warning. Trust me…If I'd been home when Jay were alive and dating Hunter, then engaged; I'd have warned him too." Zayden stated.
"If it makes you feel any better about the warning, I sort of assumed you were going to give me it the first chance you got to talk to me alone…So I've been prepared for it for a while." Troy admitted.
"Good to know." Zayden smiled. "Treat my brother right, that's all I ask. He's been through and deserves to just be happy."
"I agree with you that he deserves to be happy so I'm gonna do everything I can to do just that." Troy responded.
"Then we're good," Zayden reassured, patting Troy's back before walking off.
Troy didn't mind that Zayden warned him not to hurt Hunter again and he was sure he'd hear it more from Shane or Addilyn later on when it came out that Hunter and Troy were back together. And Troy was telling the truth, he did expect Zayden to warn him at some point not to hurt Hunter. Of course, when Hunter and Troy started dating; Zayden was overseas and by the time he got back, it was busy and then the breakup happened. Regardless, the warning had been given and Troy definitely had no intentions to hurt Hunter again. Troy was looking forward to the future, having now decided to go to college and potentially end up sharing a down with Hunter. For now, Troy could only take a seat as it seemed Salvatore needed Hunter for something, so he'd just wait patiently for instructions since he didn't know the layout or plan for tonight; he only came as Hunter's boyfriend.
. . .
At 5:00 pm, the first guests were arriving and Troy still didn't know where he was supposed to be with Hunter having vanished with his father. Troy managed to move over to the Haddock family, standing next to Zayden.
"Where am I supposed to be?" Troy whispered. "Hunter never told me…"
"Just stay here for now. We don't know where we are either; the seating chart got all mixed up due to some cancellations. My dad is supposed to be working it out with the others and Hunter's help." Zayden informed.
Troy could only nod as he stayed in place with the Haddock's. Around 5:15 pm, Salvatore finally showed up beside his wife and greeted her with a kiss to the cheek. Troy only wondered where Hunter was since all the mayors seemed to return, but not Hunter. More and more people began to file in and Troy saw his friends and their families come around 5:25 pm. Staff seemed to be doing check-ins of the guest list and others sending them to the numbered table they would be at for the evening. There was still an hour to dinner was served and the guest of honor, the president, hadn't yet arrived. Troy saw his family enter and looked to Zayden for confirmation of what he was doing.
"Go on with your family for now. I think they're at the table with us," Zayden said. "And the Jorgenson's." He added.
"Alright…Um, where is Hunter?" Troy inquired.
"He's doing something for me and he'll be out soon." Salvatore mentioned gently.
"Okay," Troy replied and then left their sides to get over to his family, greeting his parents first.
"There's my boy," Rebecca smiled.
"Hi, Mom." Troy smiled after a hug with his mom. "Hey, Dad," He then shook his father's hand and they shared a small hug.
"How was your night, son?" Drake asked.
"It was nice," Troy replied while fist-bumping Dominic, then shaking hands with Elliot, and finally hugs to Abigail and Cooper. "Hunter and I went out to dinner and you already know I stayed over his place…" He informed lightly.
"Dude…We wanna know if you two are back together? Or was this just a random dinner talk then stay over to hook up?" Dominic remarked.
"Dom!" Troy scolded. "Oh, my Gods! Could you please keep it appropriate?!" He sighed. "Yes, we talked over dinner and got back together…Then I spent the night with my boyfriend…" He told them.
"We're happy for you, sweetheart," Rebecca kissed Troy's cheek. "Now, where is Hunter?"
"He's doing something for his dad, apparently." Troy replied.
"Do you know where we're sitting? We weren't given a table number…" Drake said.
"Zayden said we were sitting at their table, along with the Jorgenson's and assumingly…Gregory," Troy enlightened his father.
"Wonderful," Rebecca smiled. "Let's get to our seats and out of the way." She advised.
"I'll catch up with you. I'm gonna say hi to my friends." Troy informed as he went over to his group of his friends to greet them. "Hey, guys and girls."
"Finally, a familiar face," Blake laughed as he connected his hand to Troy's, then they pulled in for a light hug.
"Where you seated? We're between tables 3, 4, and 5," Hank stated.
"You're by me, my family, and Hunter's." Troy smiled. "We're at tables 1 and 2,"
"Sweet. Where is Hunter?" Steven inquired.
"Doing something for his dad last I heard." Troy replied. "We got here at 4:45 and his dad instantly called him over. I've been standing with the Haddock's since."
"So you two came together?" Alyssa smiled.
"Uh, yeah. I spent the night after our dinner date," Troy replied.
"So you're back together?!" The friends asked quickly and Troy nodded.
"Yes, we got back together over dinner then went to Hunter's house to talk more, watch a movie with snack; it got late so I spent the night." Troy informed, not revealing anything about the sex they had for several hours last night. Hunter was right, it wasn't anyone's business.
"So you are really dating him? And you are gay?" Chad asked.
"Did you think I was joking?" Troy inquired.
"Yes, actually!" Tristan remarked. "Dude, what gives? We've only ever seen you with women. Why the sudden change?"
"Simple. He'd never been in a situation where he had to questions things." Jason informed. "A lot of gay males and females go through that. Believing they're straight until put in a situation to wonder if maybe that's not what they are."
"And what was your situation, Troy? Cause you've been with girls for years…" Hank said.
"It doesn't matter," Blake stood next to Troy now. "He is what he is and if you're really his friends; you'll accept and support it. Being gay hasn't changed the friend he's been all these years."
"Dude, you didn't know either." Thaxter commented.
"Actually, I did. I knew before regionals because Sam and I caught Hunter and Troy making out in the hallway outside the auditorium." Blake told them.
"And we didn't care, it just took us by surprise." Samuel added.
"We knew too, but that's because we've known Hunter for years and his interactions with Troy were a dead giveaway. It's how things were between Jay and Hunter when they first got together too and hadn't told anyone." Natalie shrugged.
"And we just kind'a figured it out on our own," Madison mentioned. "It wasn't hard to see all the little glances at one another, smiles, blushing."
"And why the fuck didn't you tell us, Troy?" Griffin questioned.
"You actually lied to us," Becka chimed in. "Hunter said they were dating last month, Troy denied it." She reminded the others.
"Yeah, she's right. Why'd you lie, Troy?" Olivia crossed her arms over one another.
Hunter was just coming back from doing what his father asked him to and saw the group that hadn't known before the lockdown occurred giving Troy a hard time about why he didn't tell them. Hunter walked up and linked his hand to Troy's with a smile. "Everything okay, babe?"
"Yeah, it's fine. The others just wanna know why I didn't say anything about being gay or us dating." Troy replied.
"And also lied to us last month when we asked if what Hunter said was true!" Kody remarked.
"You can find out later." Hunter said.
"No, we want to know now because we're supposed to be friends, and friends don't have secrets and lies…" Tucker commented.
"I said later on you can talk it out." Hunter repeated. "The president and his family will be here any moment and I will not have you causing a scene over this. Troy wasn't obligated to tell you anything about his personal life. Plenty of people keep their sexuality a secret to avoid judgement, and the same goes for relationships. Some couples just wanna keep it private. As yourselves this, if it were you in Troy's position…Would you have said anything if you knew your friends were acting the way you are now over it?" Hunter looked at them as they sort of backed off and looked down or off to the side. "Yeah, that's what I thought. Don't give Troy a hard time about what happened if you already know deep down that you would have done the very same." He added. "Now, everyone move along to your seats. Things will be beginning shortly…" He turned away, pulling Troy with him. "Shane, Addi, you're with us at tables 1 and 2." Hunter informed while leading Troy to the table where their families were sitting.
Unable to really argue or risk Hunter throwing them out if they caused a scene tonight; the others just moved along to their seats and got relaxed, waiting for things to start up.